NCJ Number
146671
Date Published
1994
Length
271 pages
Annotation
This study of terrorism in America examines how terrorism is defined by the American political system, the characteristics and motives of terrorist behavior, and what happens to terrorists after they are apprehended by the justice system.
Abstract
Study data were obtained from Federal district courts, national archives, the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts. The author focuses on terrorism acts during the 1980's. Subjects of the study were only the groups and individuals known to the FBI's counterterrorism program and whose behaviors were officially designated as terrorist acts. The first two chapters focus on the official process that results in someone being labeled a "terrorist." They include a review of the development of the FBI's definition of terrorism, how the designation affects investigative strategies, and how these definitions have changed over the years. The behavior of the terrorists and variations in the application of the guidelines that define terrorism are reflected in official statistics on American terrorism. Five chapters discuss the types of people who are called "terrorists," their motives and ideologies, and the criminal acts that result in that designation. Two chapters address governmental responses to terrorist acts, the strategies Federal prosecutors use to prosecute terrorists, the outcomes of criminal cases that involve terrorists, and the severity of terrorist sentences. The concluding chapter summarizes the data and discusses the future of terrorism in America. Tables, chapter notes, and name and subject indexes